President Trump doesn’t like NFL’s potential anthem solution

Posted by Mike Florio on November 22, 2017, 7:53 AM EST

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In 2009, the NFL decided to enhance its overt embrace of all things American by playing the national anthem after, not before, the players exited the locker room. According to Mark Maske of the Washington Post, the league’s quick and easy fix to the national anthem may be to go back to what they did previously, with the players staying in the locker room for the anthem.

“I think that if players are still kneeling at the end of the year, then it could very well happen,” an unnamed source familiar with the deliberations told Maske.

If that was a trial balloon intended for the Commander-in-Chief/Chief-Anthem-Agitator, it wandered straight in to power lines.

“The NFL is now thinking about a new idea — keeping teams in the Locker Room during the National Anthem next season,” President Trump said. “That’s almost as bad as kneeling! When will the highly paid Commissioner finally get tough and smart? This issue is killing your league!”

Chances are that the President doesn’t realize that the practice of putting the players on the field for the anthem is relatively new, or that college football teams routinely aren’t on the field for the anthem. Chances are that, even if he knew that, he wouldn’t care.

For the President, this continues to be a base-rallying shiny object that gets people to not pay attention to the things that he doesn’t want them to pay attention to. And it will be even harder for him to get people to pay attention to it in 2018 if the league picks a Friday afternoon in the summer to announce the new policy and then the games begin with the anthem being played in the same way at NFL games that it’s currently being played at NCAA games.

It’s also a way for the NFL to solve the issue without making any concessions to the players. Which, at a time when the league and the players continue to discuss a possible solution, would provide a solution that doesn’t require the league to do anything at all.

Hey Trump! Why don’t you take a long walk off a short pier? You’re such a sorry excuse for a President, and nobody other than your lamebrain supporters cares what you think. So go play gold somewhere and leave us alone.

Mr 45, you might want to concentrate on the real problems of this country. Or maybe yet your problems with your ties with Russia. Stop trying to take away our Freedoms. The ones we fought and died for since the forming of this nation. Boston Tea Party comes to mind.

Sounds like a workable plan. It will then give the fans the opportunity to look at other fans to see who is and isn’t standing during the anthem and the nation can be more divisive and hateful towards each other. Obviously Trump will say that he was the one who fixed everything through his tweets.

This is a great potential solution. As a vet myself, even I know that this was never about real patriotism anyway. Ithas already been widely reported many times that the NFL gets paid to do this patriotic stuff, and if the money was not there, they would not do it.

Secondly, this shows that President Trump is not interested in a resolution that works, but scoring political points with his base, so he can get re-elected.

I love football, so I am glad they are getting close to resolving this.

Chances are that the President doesn’t realize that the practice of putting the players on the field for the anthem is relatively new, or that college football teams routinely aren’t on the field for the anthem. Chances are that, even if he knew that, he wouldn’t care.

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Bingo on both accounts. This started when the government started paying for patriotic displays on the field. This faux controversy is just to distract the base who just want to be angry about something. They won’t care about the facts either.

Being on the field for the anthem is not a new thing. Florio of all people should remember the “Viking Formation.” Bud Grant had the players line up in a precise formation, helmets tucked under their arms, and feet together. There was no movement and no chewing gum. It was about respect for the anthem, but it also showed that the Vikings did things as a team, everyone together.

I bet you could chart out the popularity increase and it would, as far as trending goes, coincide with the anthem being introduced and the kneeling taking place. Not saying it’s exactly cause and effect…but I’ll be damned if you don’t see a trend.

boknowsvt says:
November 22, 2017 at 8:14 am
I can’t believe that people still blindly support this man.
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Well, see… it was his political incorrectness that elevated him above the regular hacks and gave him a path to the oval office. He ran against the mainstream pols of both parties and the mainstream media. It should be no big surprise that he doesn’t now start acting like a career politician. As long as he can keep the country as prosperous as it has been this first year I don’t think he’ll have any problem staying for the next 7.

I don’t like how he’s committed treason, violated his oath of office by attacking Constitutional rights, spent tens of millions of taxpayer dollars to take WEEKLY golf vacations at his properties, used the office of President to sell favors and enrich himself, his family and cronies – the list is almost endless. So excuse me if I really don’t care what this traitor thinks about the “flag issue”.

Hypocrites, the NFL sells arm services merchandise then disrespects the national anthem.
The NFL charges the arm services to display the on field flag during the national anthem and they disrespect that.
The NFL SUCKS, I got rid of the Sunday ticket and no ESPN in my house.

I never feel less patriotic than being told to stand and face a flag during a goddamn sporting event. If that’s the closest people get to patriotism, then we are all wrong. Justvas if you go to a place of worship once a week just to put your name on the guest list. You either live it or you don’t. Just because you stand for the anthem doesn’t excuse your actions the rest of the week. No more anthem posts.

He’s not wrong, it shouldn’t be hard to be proud of the country you live in and show respect to the game that allows you to make millions for doing nothing other than honing the athletic genes your parents gave you.

This was never about inequality. If it was the players kneeling wouldn’t be standing up now. After all nothing’s changed, and if anything racial tensions are worse. This started with pig socks and Castro support, modifying it by trying to find a reasonable cause, inequality, diesnt overshadow the truth of a guy who simply couldn’t beat out Blaine Gabbert.

How about we quit with this stupid jingoistic tradition of playing the anthem and flying giant flags before every trivial sporting event? It only happens in the US, for cripes’ sake. National teams’ games? Of course. National championship games? Maybe. But every NFL, NBA, minor friggin league baseball game doesn’t need to be an opportunity for half-assed patriotic displays and expensive Air Force flyovers…

No President Trump most likely is not aware of the history with players being in the locker room during the National Anthem. That stated creating a one sided political narrative in this article is your prerogative but this country is so evenly divided that all views should be written for public consumption. We get enough of the Huff Post, Washington Post, NY Times, Newsweek, Politico etc…so present all views for an article that contains political opinion. Have you checked the awesome stock market and possibly your 401K lately. The US existed without the current 3% growth during the Obama years. The military and veterans are being held in high esteem. There are many ways to voice displeasure with a few police officers than to demonstrate before undertaking one’s job and being paid by a billionaire owner. Many people who feel that way do not get their opinions written about due to a one sided political perspective from the liberal media. Let’s consider everyone’s feelings when dictating policy for the NFL!

As a vet what’s more offensive is all your false patriotism & fake gratitude. What’s even more offensive than that is not holding police officers accountable for their actions. So stop. STOP. YOU are offensive to me, not these players who are peacefully protesting.

Trump can’t stop meddling in others’ affairs now that he’s a public servant for the government. Ironic given that a sizable proportion of those voting for him support the ideal of reduced government interference in the everyday affairs of citizens and businesses. He’s the polar opposite of that.

“Since people have changed the narrative about the protests from “police brutality and equality for minorities” to “disrespecting the flag/troops””

Actually, the protests have always been about nothing and they have always been disrespectful to our troops and flag.

Police brutality is subject to a system in which the officer accused can be investigated internally, charged, indicted and brought up to a constitutional “jury of his/her peers”. The “scholarly” football players have determined they don’t like the results of this effective system, so they pretend they are protesting something, when they actually know very little about what they are pretending to protest, but politically minded people have invested in the rage to “get out the vote”, unfortunately it backfired by getting out the other side of the vote last year.

I still find it incredible that a knee on the ground has caused this much hub bub. With all the other injustice to our great country, we’re focused on people kneeling. If you love the anthem and our country, keep your eyes on the flag rather than the players. And if you’re upset with someone disrespecting the United States of America, turn that energy on the corrupt people who run this great country. God bless America.

Owners: decertify the CBA and lock the players out for a year. Teach these ungrateful fools a lesson.
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Wow, that is punitive when something like 20 players out of 1696 do not stand. By your reckoning, 99 % of innnocent people should be punished for not doing anything wrong other than being part of a group you dislike or disagree with. That, sir, is totalitarianism and certainly not the American way.

The American justice system is predicated upon NOT punishing the innocent.

You can quibble with my estimate of 20 and increase it to 3 per team and you still have 95 % of players doing nothing wrong yet you would punish them.

Richard Nixon was the creepiest President in my life time.
Ronald Reagan was the most out of touch President in my life time.
George W. Bush was the dumbest President in my life time.
Until Donald Trump.
In less than a year in office he has run the table.

“Chances are that the President doesn’t realize that the practice of putting the players on the field for the anthem is relatively new.”

I’ve seen that thought repeated and it is false. While they may not have officially placed it in their manual until recently, the players have been standing for the anthem for as long as I can recall. Bud Grant used to actually have his players practice how to properly stand for the anthem in the 1960s. I’m sure it goes back even further than that.

Trump is the most unpopular president I can remember. He’s close to 30% approval rating. Whatever he says, do the opposite. He’s proven to be the most divisive president our country has ever seen. That is the only strategy he knows. Divide, divide, divide. NFL fans are not all motivated by hate and fear. I don’t see how this guy has time to take away from his golfing and vacationing to worry about football. I understand why he wants to divert attention away from his unsuccessful presidency. He’s failing miserably.

Contrary to this article, I am paying attention to all the other things going on in the world, but I am also paying attention to the little things, like this issue. I didn’t care before, and didn’t demand total respect from everyone else or myself during the anthem before, but I do care now, a lot. I’m with Trump. I watch my Packers, because the Packers team has many decades of history preceding these “ungrateful fools,” but I won’t watch any other games, wear any Packer gear, or spend a dollar on the NFL.

That actually seems like the best solution. You don’t force the players to do anything that violates free speech and people won’t be so fake outraged. Why does everyone feel the players must do what they are told when it relates to their freedom of speech?

Sorry, it’s not new. Or all those years when I saw Vikings players lined up on the sideline holding their helmet during the national anthem I was just imagining that? Go back and look at the old news reel and photos. It’s not that hard to do. You have the internet.

There’s a reason why his lack of intelligence has been called out by Tiilerson, McMaster and others. He’s not dumb, he’s ignorant and that’s a big difference. He’s a constant manipulator who diminishes everything with which he comes in contact. Think about it. Government integrity, ethics and non conflict of interest, America’s standing in the world, meritocracy, evangelical christianity, freedom of religion, free speech, the right to assembly, professional sports, race relations, the environment, protection of wild animals, clean water, have all been diminished since he got control of the GOP.

Kneeling didn’t diminish the NFL. Its politicalization by Trump with the intent to divide Americans, the races, owners, players, sponsors and the media did. Jones took the bait. Papa Johns took the bait. The NFL as a whole has not taken the bait.

Since people have changed the narrative about the protests from “police brutality and equalityfor minorities” to “disrespecting the flag/troops”

Can we change the narrative of the anti-protesters from “I love our troops” to “I hate minorities and I hate equality for anyone that’s not white?”
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How convenient that you omitted the original narrative change. CK was not protesting police brutality. He was sitting because he was benched and pouting. The police narrative came after he was called out for sitting during the anthem. The next narrative was taken on by the players in support of the first change of story so there are at least 2 layers of BS to their cause.

But if it helps assuage your sensitivities to blame it all on whites then please, continue.

It’s funny that some think that keeping them in the locker room changes anything. They’ve already shown themselves to be disrespectful to our military and country. Simply keeping them in the locker room just prevents them from revealing themselves, but it’s too late since we already know where they stand.

What does it matter when they arranged pre-games so that players are now present for the anthem? Having players start visible for the anthem gave fans the opportunity to see if players are respectful of our military and the sacrifice others have made to give all of us our freedoms. And they had been up until 2016. Now many of them are not. Who cares if that practice started in 2009 or 1979??? Very very poor argument that misses the point completely.

boknowsvt says:
November 22, 2017 at 8:14 am
I can’t believe that people still blindly support this man.

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Uninformed morons blindly supporting an uninformed moron….it’s a sad commentary on where this country is…a draft dodging coward who insults actual veterans that served this country and were POW’S….has people rallying around his false “disrespecting the troops” narrative……… talk about “fake news”…

I just had this conversation with s couple Trump supporters friends of mine. Mr patriotic Trump was a draft dodger who used the college deferment and never served. People watch sports to get away from politics and morons like him try to rally up the base with stupid BS like this.

Maybe he should work on being more presidential and stop acting like a toothless hillbilly.

I’m at a loss of words with what the NFL has become, and the fact that a group of 6 owners are about to deliver a point blank shotgun to the D, this maybe the beginning of the end.

If I were Jerry, and other like-minded owners, they may find out that starting a fresh new league with clear rules and no politics maybe just what the new generation desires the most. They don’t have to go all XFL, just all the best things that use to be the NFL, and improvements that will never see the light of day under the current NFL.

The real true pendulum swing would be to coax college players to the new league. Pay them higher contracts than the NFL, and possibly allow them to be draft eligible sooner. The NFL would lose it’s luster without a fresh crop of high-talent rookies each year.

To me the sitting was disrespectful. Kneeling was Green Berets Nate Boyers idea. I felt that was a productive compromise. In my experience, those that are willing to be reasonable enough to compromise tend to be part of the solution. Those who are unwilling or are too stubborn to compromise tend to be the root of the problem.

When this issue first came up the comments that called for the players to be cut, released, booed, tarred, feathered, etc. would have about an 80% thumbs up rating on this site. It seems to have slowly turned to where comments supporting the players’ right to protest now get 60% thumbs up.

‘President’ Trump should stop interjecting himself in sports issues. No one cares what he has to say about the anthem. And he is being very hypocritical considering he is being investigated for colluding with Russia to steal the election

Like drinking and driving, politics and sports don’t mix. The sooner the league and its players come to grips with that reality, the better. Outside of NFL stadiums players should feel free to use their celebrity and protest to their heart’s content. Inside of NFL stadiums players should focus on playing football. And nothing else.

I really laugh at how the PFT comment section – could not have been more hitter against Karpernick and his perceived slight towards the game and the league for kneeling
Now a year later ever comment is bashing trump as much as possible for even caring about the anthem or equally alighting Kaepernick.
Blows my mind

I disagree with the President, if the NFL employees despise this country so much, those that love the country don’t want them sharing in our National Anthem. Ford, Nike, and now Papa Johns support the protests against our country.

d12f6m says:
November 22, 2017 at 8:11 am
Mr 45, you might want to concentrate on the real problems of this country. Or maybe yet your problems with your ties with Russia. Stop trying to take away our Freedoms. The ones we fought and died for since the forming of this nation. Boston Tea Party comes to mind.
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Tell me again where you fought and died.But, it’s great to hear from people beyond the grave.

Hey I have an idea! Why don’t we pass a new law that supersedes the constitution and 1st amendment and says all concession stands must be closed at least 5 minutes before the anthem; every bathroom must be empty and locked; everyone within the stadium must be at their seats silent and standing at attention with hands over their hearts during our sacred playing of the anthem… Also all tvs at home should have cameras installed to monitor fans so that we can all rest easy knowing that every single viewer is standing too.

Anyone in violation of said law should be arrested and charged as america hating enemy combatants and shipped to siberia…err Guantanamo

Trump can’t stop meddling in others’ affairs now that he’s a public servant for the government. Ironic given that a sizable proportion of those voting for him support the ideal of reduced government interference in the everyday affairs of citizens and businesses. He’s the polar opposite of that.

Sorry, but the ratings drop have nothing to do with kneeling. The NFL has over exposed themselves. You have games on Sunday afternoons (Sunday morning, if in London). Sunday night, Monday night, and Thursday nights. NFL Network and Redzone. Pull back and schedule better games. Too much Dallas Cowboys exposure. Who wants to see the Dolphins that many times in their current state?

BS..First of all Bud Grant was known for having his team on the sideline with helmets under their arms DURING WHAT? The National Anthem. So you lied about that being a new thing. Secondly the league is so afraid of what the players might do that they hide them away. A real joke this league has become.

paul1990 says:
November 22, 2017 at 10:00 am
Sorry, but the ratings drop have nothing to do with kneeling. The NFL has over exposed themselves. You have games on Sunday afternoons (Sunday morning, if in London). Sunday night, Monday night, and Thursday nights. NFL Network and Redone…
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The NFL is the only major sport to see a drop in ratings. The NFL plays only 16 games. Some of the other sports play 162 games and are also available on cable, streaming, etc…. Last year, fans told polls that they were offended by the protests and ratings began to drop. They told polls again this year if it continued, they’d stop watching. Look at the half empty stadiums. Merchandise sales have dropped 50-70%. It’s obvious a bomb has gone off in the NFL and the NFL can repeat, “It’s not the anthem” over and over again but it won’t change reality.

The NFL is the only major sport to see a drop in ratings. The NFL plays only 16 games. Some of the other sports play 162 games and are also available on cable, streaming, etc…. Last year, fans told polls that they were offended by the protests and ratings began to drop. They told polls again this year if it continued, they’d stop watching. Look at the half empty stadiums. Merchandise sales have dropped 50-70%. It’s obvious a bomb has gone off in the NFL and the NFL can repeat, “It’s not the anthem” over and over again but it won’t change reality.

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Totally disagree with you. Too much exposure will do this. It’s not solely the anthem. You can over expose yourself to the degree of apathy. Ticket costs are too high. The anthem protests are just a coincidence.

When are you people going to get it. Trump’s response has NOTHING to do with the anthem, and EVERYTHING to do with the fact that the little man wasn’t allowed to become an owner and that that the NFL beat him in court when he was a USFL owner.

That is who Trump is. Most narcissists will hold grudges when they feel disrespected. When they didn’t let La Donald into the “club” they got an enemy for life. So in the end this entire affair when has hurt the NFL and helped FURTHER to divide the country, has been all about Trump exacting his piece of revenge. What does HE care about the consequences of his actions, as long has it makes HIM feel good.

Most military people I know are appalled at Mr. Trump’s failure to recognize basic guarantees in the Constitution. This is just one more case of a shiny coin dangled in front of his base, and has no real connection to the games that we love to watch. Can we please just ignore Mr. Trump on this issue? All he does is divide our nation and detract from the sport. Neither is acceptable here.

churchofthehoody says:
November 22, 2017 at 9:58 am
Hey I have an idea! Why don’t we pass a new law that supersedes the constitution and 1st amendment and says all concession stands must be closed at least 5 minutes before the anthem; every bathroom must be empty and locked; everyone within the stadium must be at their seats silent and standing at attention with hands over their hearts during our sacred playing of the anthem… Also all tvs at home should have cameras installed to monitor fans so that we can all rest easy knowing that every single viewer is standing too.

Anyone in violation of said law should be arrested and charged as america hating enemy combatants and shipped to siberia…err Guantanamo

What do you say my fellow patriotic comrades?
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I’d say that’s ridiculous. Should all traffic slam to a halt if people see a flag so they can jump out of their cars and salute? Hearing the anthem on TV and not standing is not the same as retroactive using teh anthem as your method of protest.

jjadco says:
November 22, 2017 at 9:23 am
I just had this conversation with s couple Trump supporters friends of mine. Mr patriotic Trump was a draft dodger who used the college deferment and never served. People watch sports to get away from politics
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I agree with the last sentence.

OK, let’s review the timeline. First, there was CK sitting and Pouting over being benched which somehow morphed into, wait for it, a political protest.

We get it, Donnie. You’re pissed at the NFL because they didn’t want you as an owner when the Bills were up for sale and you hold grudges. But for the love of God, let it go! There are plenty of things that are hurting -not “killing”- the NFL, but the anthem thing isn’t one of them.

The NFL has become a steaming pile of crap with one controversy after another. Corralling the players in the locker room while it is played is a terrible idea and shows the lack of will on the part of the league. Either you support the players protesting or you do not.

So if the NFL can’t make a decision just eliminate the anthem altogether resulting in the flag and all it stands for not being subject of debate by anyone including the president or protest by the players.

Yes. And not just for flags, they should also stop and salute flag pins, flag t-shirts, flag bandanas, flag speedos, and flag tattoos… really it should apply to anything with a flag on it, or that resembles an american flag in any way shape or form… But only if they’re true america patriots and really love freedom…

gibbskins9 says:
November 22, 2017 at 8:33 am
Hypocrites, the NFL sells arm services merchandise then disrespects the national anthem.
The NFL charges the arm services to display the on field flag during the national anthem and they disrespect that.
The NFL SUCKS, I got rid of the Sunday ticket and no ESPN in my house.

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Hypocrites get rid of Sunday Ticket and ESPN but STILL read and comment on PFT… just sayin’

pantherpro says:
November 22, 2017 at 10:05 am
What a clown. For all you morons who voted for him how do you feel now?

6 2 Rate This

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I feel great. Little things like the record high stock market and the record low unemployment dont matter when it doesn’t fit your “don’t you have better things to focus on” narrative… The fact is that people were overwhelmingly upset at the protests until Trump talked. Then you all suddenly changed your feelings on the protest because you’re mad that your candidate lost the election. GET OVER IT

I like attending sports events to watch sports. Stop playing the Anthem.

I honor our Presidents on the third Monday in February.
I honor those lost in service to the country on the last Monday in May.
I honor the day the British evacuated Boston on March 17th.
I honor the battle of Lexington and Concord on the third Monday in April.
I honor the colors on June 14th.
I honor the battle of Bunker Hill on June 17th
I honor the birth of the Nation on July 4th.
I honor those who serve or served the Nation on November 11th.

There is no need to dilute the honoring of or nation’s important figures and historic moments with awkward patriotic whitewash at gatherings designed with other intentions (like sports).

Richard Nixon was the creepiest President in my life time.
Ronald Reagan was the most out of touch President in my life time.
George W. Bush was the dumbest President in my life time.
Until Donald Trump.
In less than a year in office he has run the table.
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spartan01 says:
November 22, 2017 at 11:49 am
This isn’t what I want from POTUS. He’s had a year to learn, needs to start acting the part. Read his tweets to LaVar Ball.
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I agree Trump should have let the thieves rot in a China jail.

To me, this seems like it would upset the protesters doing the kneeling more than anybody else. How else are they going to create controversy if they’re not given the opportunity to do it during the national anthem?

He’s still pissed that after he destroyed the USFL he couldn’t have his New Jersey Generals become part of the NFL, and also the fact he lost out on acquiring the Bills, then dissed the Bills and the league after he was outbid.

Trump doesn’t like…..Women with a voice, Lavar Ball, Democrats, liberals, the NFL, African Americans, immigrants Chuck Shumer, Nancy Pelosi, those who cant afford a country club membership, those who drive a Camry, those who have never had escargot, anyone who thinks he is a hypocrite, Dishwashers, and animals.

The man is a menace and I sincerely hope the overwhelming majority of Americans let him know what a farce his presidency has been in the mid term elections and he goes back to his 100M apartment in Manhattan and takes his screwball family with him before the RNC convention in 2019.

I feel great. Little things like the record high stock market and the record low unemployment dont matter when it doesn’t fit your “don’t you have better things to focus on” narrative…
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Any economist will tell you that it takes at least 18 months to feel the influence of a new administration on the nation’s economy, so if you do indeed feel great, don’t thank Trump. Thank your narrative.

I feel great. Little things like the record high stock market and the record low unemployment dont matter when it doesn’t fit your “don’t you have better things to focus on” narrative…

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Weird. It’s almost as if some people don’t realize that the trend toward the current record high stock market and labor market situations began long before Trump even announced that he would run for election in 2016. Perhaps they don’t choose to recognize this because it doesn’t fit their “Trump actually has done something worthwhile since he was elected” narrative. I guess it’s just easier to be lazy and rewrite the story to fit your own warped perception of reality.

The George Soros sponsered losers just sit around and wait for Trump stories to pop up on web sites all day everyday. Just sad a pathetic lives they lead.

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As do Koch Brothers/Citizens United fans such as yourself. Just saying… now before you lay down half baked dollar amounts, be sure to include ALL of the Koch 501c’s, OK? I know that’s not something you folk like to, or will, acknowledge. In spite of it all, have a good Thanksgiving.

Goodell needs to be fired. He’s really horrible: Won’t fix refs that destroy the game that we love. It’s been a few months for the whole protest thing and he won’t keep honest because honest will result in losing some money

5 deferments from the Vietnam war. A life time of swindling, lying, filing for bankruptcy 5 times. Gains the presidency after working side by side with America’s greatest enemy since 1945 – Russia. This PIG and those that voted him into office know where they can go.

NFL does need to go back to keeping players in the locker room while beer drinking, hot dog eating fans, pig out during an anthem whose third verse glorifies slave owners.

I feel great. Little things like the record high stock market and the record low unemployment dont matter when it doesn’t fit your “don’t you have better things to focus on” narrative…
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The problem with that is wages aren’t going up to match the stock market or the cost of living, so the middle class is again being squeezed…and will be more so if the proposed tax cuts go through. Yet another case of looking at the flash instead of the substance.

Exactly. That is the most bizarre thing. He’s clearly unqualified. People are stupid, and fall for meaningless slogans like drain the swamp. Its simple minded people with bumper sticker mentalities. If it can fit on a bumper sticker, they fall for it.

Trump tweets multiple times a day about a variety of things. From Iran to the NFL. the garbage polluting the game is a big deal to alot of people especially his base and the guy is a master at pushing their buttons. The tax cut looks like its going to either fail altogether or be a pile of garbage after Congress agrees on whatever changes they make. Its going to demoralize alot of people. None of his agenda is getting any support in government to the dismay of his voters. So what do you expect? Hes not going to stop tweeting. Alot of people in the comments seem to support the kneeling for the anthem and thats fine. but a sizeable portion of fans do not and thats reflected in the ratings. whats the answer? the answer was for Goodell to nip it right away before it turned into people somehow believing its a free speech issue even though these guys are on the clock for a private company. The ship has sailed. Some fans are alienated and wont come back. Some will. the one thing we all should be able to agree on is that this commissioner has made some awful decisions and has alot of nerve to ask for 50 mil and a jet